The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in priority Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-2639, filed on Jan. 10, 2001.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bonesetting connecting member such as a rod supported at its end area by a bonesetting tool such as a screw as an implant appropriately mounted to a vertebra. More particularly, the invention relates to a bonesetting connecting member capable of being turned appropriately by a tool, and capable of easily moving in its longitudinal direction by the same tool.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional bonesetting method of a vertebra, implants such as screws as bonesetting tools are threadedly embedded into separated vertebras for example, opposite end areas of a rod member having an appropriate shape as bonesetting connecting member are engaged with rod engaging portions provided on heads of the implants, the opposite end areas are fixed by setscrews, thereby integrally fixing the opposite end areas of the bonesetting connecting member to the bonesetting tool.
When the rod member or the like as the bonesetting connecting member is integrally fixed to the bonesetting tool, in order to combine a curve of the backbone and a curve of the rod member, the rod member is slightly turned around its axis or the rod member is slightly moved in the longitudinal direction in some cases. Some of the conventional rod members are formed with polygonal tool engaging portion on its end so that the rod member can easily be turned around its axis.
In the above structure, a tip end of the polygonal tool engaging portion of the rod member engages a U-shaped tool and turns the same so that the rod member can be turned around its axis. However, when the rod member is moved in its axial direction, the tool comes out from the tool engaging portion. Therefore, the rod member is sandwiched by holding pawls of another tool having engaging pawls which are capable of opening and closing, thereby moving the rod member in the longitudinal direction, or a tool is abutted against an end surface of the rod member.
That is, in the conventional method, when the bonesetting connecting member such as a rod member is slightly turned or slightly moved in the axial direction, there are problems that a plurality of tools are required, management of tools is troublesome, and space for bringing the tool against the end surface of the rod member is required.
The present invention has been achieved to solve the above-described problems, and the invention provides a bonesetting connecting member having an end area supported by a bonesetting tool appropriately mounted to a vertebra, thereby connecting the vertebra, comprising a polygonal tool engaging portion provided on a body of the bonesetting connecting member, and a tool restricting portion for preventing a tool from moving toward opposite sides of the tool engaging portion.